HTVs banned in Lahore as Punjab scrambles to fight smog

Author: Agencies

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday ordered a ban on the entry of trucks and other heavy vehicles into Lahore, stating that they are contributors to the smog and environmental pollution currently plaguing the metropolis.

A day ago, Lahore’s air pollution reached unprecedented levels, ranking it as the world’s most polluted city for the past 48 hours, as dense smog blankets major districts of Punjab. The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) soared to alarming heights, surpassing 1,000 in some areas, a level deemed hazardous for public health and safety.

Earlier in the day, the Punjab government barred the public from entering public parks, zoos, playgrounds, and museums amid deteriorating air quality across the province. Friday’s notification put a “complete ban on public entry in all parks (public & private), zoos, playgrounds, historical places, monuments, museums and joy/playlands” from November 8 (today) till 17.

According to the order, the court noted that after 11pm, trucks laden with construction material “are the major cause of emission of polluting smoke”, adding that their movement is not being controlled.

The court ordered that police, traffic police and the Dolphin Force impound “any vehicle found emitting smog” and ordered the transport department to check the fitness and maintenance of heavy vehicles.

“Any of these lorries or buses found unfit will not be allowed to ply and brought on the roads,” the order read.

Furthermore, the court ordered that the commissioner convene a meeting to discuss the closure of commercial spaces by 8pm for the next 15 days. It also ordered that markets be closed on Sundays for the next fortnight due to the deteriorating air quality.

“For this purpose, the Ring Road Authority shall also be engaged and the police patrolling the Ring Road will be passed similar orders,” the court ordered.

The LHC additionally ordered that motorway police stationed at toll plazas on all motorways inspect all entering vehicles and not allow entry to vehicles emitting smoke. “The relevant department will be engaged so that those vehicles can be impounded,” the order read. “Similarly, an out-of-box solution would also include limiting the marriage functions as well as capping the number of persons attending these functions,” the order read, further ordering that a report be filed by the next hearing on November 11.